It is common knowledge that humans, as well as lower animals, become euphoric or otherwise "high" from taking certain drugs, to some of which they may be introduced for medical reasons but many of which are available for non-medical use--usually deemed abuse. Effects of such drugs include enhancing concentration or activity of neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin), which is an immediate inducement to use of such a drug by those who abuse it; and such effects also include subsequently depressing such neurotransmitter characteristics--an inducement to one more use, at least for many users, who thereupon undertake to abuse such drug repeatedly, to bodily and financial limits.
Though many, presumably most, persons do not take such drugs except as prescribed by physicians, numerous other persons become so addicted to using such drugs that they engage in a wide variety of anti-social acts to buy or otherwise obtain them--via a network of illegal production and delivery activities, means, and methods. Attempted interdiction of drugs subject to such excessive demand raises the cost to users and the profits to suppliers, and tends to corrupt otherwise law-abiding persons by inducing bribery, etc.
Attempts to treat users of such drugs, as by administering a less harmful drug in place thereof, have met with limited success because users tend to prefer immediate though transitory pleasure received from abused drugs to pleasure-lessening drug treatments. Substitution of another pleasurable drug, intended to be withdrawn more readily than an abused drug, also tends to fail, for an addict may merely take such substitute drug until the treatment ends, and then return to the abused drug as soon as possible thereafter.
A very substantial need exists for a therapeutic treatment of neurotransmitter-linked drug abuse that not only will wean abusers of such drugs away from their abused drugs but also will keep such abusers from returning to such abused drugs when the treatment has ended. This patent specification of mine discloses such treatment by pharmaceuticals whose formulas and preparation are disclosed in Biel U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,903 (Lakeside Laboratories, Inc.) entitled "Phenylalkylhydrazines and Use as Psychotherapeutics"--but whose use according to my invention is not disclosed there or elsewhere.